NATURAL HISTORY. 



483 



Class IX. . . INSECTA. (Lat. Jnsccarc, to cut into.) 



Sub-class I. INSECT A MAKDIBULATA. (Lat. mandare, to chew.) 



Order I. . . COLEOPTRA.(Gr. KoAeo'c, a sheath; Trrcpov, a 

 wing.) 



Family I. . . Cicindelidae. (Lat. a Glowworm.} 



CICIXDELA. 



I ' 



Campestris (Lat. of the Jidda), the Tiger-beetle. 



The body of an insect is divided or cut into three parts, 

 called the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. The body is 

 defended by a horny integument, divided into rings and con- 

 nected by a softer membrane. The legs are six in number. 

 Many insects possess wings, and in all the rudiments of those 

 organs are perceptible. The eyes are compound, that is, a 

 number of eyes are massed together at each side of the head ; 

 and so numerous are they, that in the compound eyes of the 

 ant are 50 lenses, in the house-fly, 8,000, in the butterfly, 

 17,000, and in the hawk-moth, 20,000. 



The insects pass through three transformations before they 

 attain their perfect form. The first state is called the larva* 

 because the future insect is masked under that form; the 

 second is called the pupa^ on account of the shape often as- 

 sumed ; and the third is called the imago ^ as being the image 

 of the perfect creature. Insects breathe by means of air-tubes, 

 called trachea}, which penetrate to every part of the body, 

 even to the extremities of the limbs, antennse and wings. 

 The air gains access to the tubes by means of small apertures 



* From Lat. Lama, a mask. 



t From Lat. Imago, an irnai3 or efficy. 



t From Lat. Pupa, a doll. 



